Island



(N o Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. L. A. PEOKHAM. PEEDING MACHINE .FOR GARDING ENGINES.

Patented Nov. 26, 1889.

l rl l WITNEEEES.'

. n. Pneus, mwumugnpm wurm-gm n. o

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

L. A. PECKHAM. EEEDING MACHINE EOE GAEDING ENGINES. No. 416,123.

Patented Nov. 26, 1889.

WI T11/'5555 .ZN VINI-UH.' XQG/MM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

l L. A. PBGKHAM. P EEDING MACHINE POR GARDING ENGINES.

N0. 416,123. Patented Nov. 26, 1889.

MEME v M WITNESSEE @Q4/10% om, @e7/.

4 Sheets--Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

, L. A. PECKHAM. EEEDING MACHINE EOE CARDIN@ ENGINES.

Patented Nov.`26, 1889.

1^ Z5 IIIAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVIYIITV E 5 5, m n W NVENTH Md/QM@ N. FUCHS. Photo-Uthngravhar. Waxhingnn. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUTHER A. PECKHAM, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO CHARLES FLETCHER, OF SAME PLACE.

FEiEDlNG-MACHINE FOR CARDlNG-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,123, dated November 26, 1889.

i Application filed J' une I0, 1889. Serial No. 313,656. (No model.)

To all whom it nuty concern: view, taken on the line 5 of Fig. 4, showing Be it known that I, LUTHER A. PECKHAM, a portion of the side frame in section, as well of Providence, in the county ot Providence as the lifting-apron. Fig. 6 is a side view of and State of Rhode Island, have invented certhe latch device for locking the upper end of 55 5 tain new and useful Improvements in Feedingthe rod connecting with the clutch, and also Machines for Oarding-Engines, of which the the knock-off cam and the device for operatfollowing is a full, clear, and exact descriping the latch to release the upper end of the tion, reference being had to the accompanyrod. Fig. 7 is a top view of the latch device ing drawings, forming part of this specificaand latch-releasing device. Fig. 8 is a front 6o io tion. view of the evener, showing the method of This invention relatesto apparatus for supadjusting the blades provided with teeth; plying stock to carding machines or engines. and Fig. 9 shows another way of supporting The objects of my invention are to improve and operating the evener. Fig. 9a is a secthe uniformity of the feed and to render the tional view of part of the lifting-apron. 65 mechanism more efficient and positive in its In the said drawings like numbers of referoperations. ence designate corresponding parts through- My invention consists, principally, in the out. `scale or balance and means for discharging Referring to the drawings, the number l() the same, the intermittent-motion liftingdesignates the sides ot the case for holding 7o zo apron, means for operating the clutch on the the fibrous stock and on which are mounted main shaft by the scale-balancing devices, so in suitable bearings the various parts of the as to connect and disconnect the driving mechanism. The endless liftingapron 11 power, and thereby start or stop the liftingpasses about the rollers 12 12, and receives apron, the vibrating evener, and vibrating its motion from the drive-shaft 13, passing 75 stripper; and t-he invention further consists through the top roller 12, the apron traveling in the constructional details of the various upward, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3 parts ot the mechanism. of the drawings. The two rollers 14 l5 are In order that my invention may be fully placed on the inside of the endless apron to understood, I have illustrated in the accomrelieve the strain on the apron by reason of 8o 3o panying drawings, and'will proceed to dethe force exerted by the movable back in scribe, the best form thereof` so far devised holding the stock against the apron. The by me, with the knowledge, however, that movable back is made in two parts, the inner such form may be variously modiiied without part 16 being supported on suitable b rackets making a substantial departure from the or side pieces 17, secured to the outer portion 85 spirit of my invention. 1S. In Fig. 3 the inner part of the back is In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is shown as being pivoted to the bracket at 19, a side View of my improved card-feeding dethe top portion of the bracket forming a stop vice, showing the balanced levers of the balto prevent the top of the inner back being ance and the gearing for revolving the scalepushed backward. The spring 20 is secured 9o 4o receptacle; also, the means for vibrating the in a suitable holding device near the bottom stripper. Fig. 2 is aview of the opposite side of the bracket and in contact with the lower of my improved card-feeding device, and portion of the back 16, thereby allowing a shows the gearing and connections whereby slight backward movement of the same, so as an intermittent motion is imparted to the to relieve it from any unusual strain that 9 5 endless lifting-apron. Fig. 3 is avertical secmight be brought to bear against it.

tion of my improved card-feeding device, The evener 2l is provided with the semishowing theendless lifting-apron, the scalecircular guard 28, which forms a movable receptacle, the evener, t-he stripper, and the continuation of the fixed top piece 29, and is movable back. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side supported on and reciprocates with the cross- 10o 5o viewof a device for regulating the movement bar 30, forming part of the evener. The of the lifting-apron. FiO. 5 is a sectional evener is also provided with an adj ust-able that is, the form illustrated in Figs. l, 2, and

3-the evener is shown as supported and having movement in the slots 26, one beingformed in each of the side frames l0 l0. A reciprocating movement is imparted to the evener 2l from the main shaft 3l through the gear 32, intermediate gear 33, gear 34, shaft 35,

bevel-gear 36, bevel-gear 37, shaft 38, bevely gear 39, and bevel-gear 40, secured to shaft 4l, carrying the two disks 42 42, one on each end. The adjustable links 43 43 are pivotally connected to the cross-bar 30 at one end and to the bearing-bolts 44 44, adj ustably secured in the slots 45 45, formed in the disks 42 42. The comb of the evener extends across the path of the apron, and when vibrated it moves so as to sweep over the top portionof the apron and comb and even the stock off, so that it. may be properly fed to 'the stripper.

The clearer 4G extends across the receptacle from one side to the other, and is provided on its upper side with the teeth 47. The object of the clearer is to remove from the teeth of the evener any of the stock that might cling thereto and in turn to be cleared from any adhering fiber by the teeth of the evener.

The endless lifting-apron ll receives its movement through the ratchet-gear 48, previded with the outwardly-extending hub and secured to the shaft 13 by a spline 49.

Mounted upon the hub of th'e gear 48 is the segmental rack 50, provided with the springpressed L-shaped pawl 5l, one arm of which 1 extendsoutwardly and rides on or over the top surface of the cam 52. The cam 52 is loosely mounted on the shaft 13, and extends outwardly therefrom, and is provided with the loosely pivoted pawl 53, and the springpressed bolt 54 for holding the pawl 53 against the ratchet-gear 48, and has the handle 55 for lifting or lowering' the cam, so that the outwardly-"eXtending iinger of the pawl 5l will ride a longer or shorter distance on the camsurface. The bolt 56 passes through the semicircular slot 57, formed in the outwardly-extending portion, and serves to hold the cam in the desired position. It will be readily seen that as the ratchet-gear 4S is securely held to the shaft carrying the top roller, over which the apron ll moves, the movement of the apron will depend upon the movement of the ratchet-gear, and consequently upon the number of teeth the pawl 5l will take up. The largest movement of the apron is obtained by loosening the bolt 5G and depressing the handle 55 to its lowest point, when the cam -surface will be entirely removed from contact with the outwardly-extending linger of the pawl 5l, and consequently the pawl will, upon being reciprocated, take up the largest number of teeth of the ratchet-gear 4S, and consequently-'innove the apron the greatest distance, whereas if the handle be lifted to its highest point the cam-surface will be brought forward and the outwardly-extending finger of the pawl 5l will ride on it and engage with the smallest number of teeth of the ratchet-gear 4S, and the apron will be lifted the shortest distance. It is therefore evident that the cam-surface can be so set as to give just the desired amount of lift to the apron, the variation in the lift .of the apron depending upon the quality and quantity of stock used.

The vibrating stripper 5S is provided with the comb 59, lying across the path of the apron, and the stripper is mounted upon the rocking shaft 60, which is rocked by the sector-gear 61 secured thereto, which gear receives an oscillating motion from reciprocating mechanism hereinafter described. This stripper is also provided with the adjustable brush 62, which is held in position and is adjusted by the bolts 63 and G4. The stripper sweeps over a portion of the apron and across the catch-shelf 65, which is slightly curved, with the concave face lying upwardly, and upon which are placed the comb-teeth 7 2. Upon each longitudinal edge of the shelf is disposed a toothed blade 73. The vibrating stripper 58 and the evener 2l are located at the upper end of the apron and are operated simultaneously to even the fiber and strip the same from the apron.

An intermittent motion is imparted to the apron ll by means of the following' mechanism: Upon the drive-shaft 3l is mounted the gear 32, intermeshing with the intermediate gear 33, which intermeshes with the gear 34,

IOO

IIO

mounted on lthe shaft 35 and provided with y the slot 6G, in which is secured the bearingpin 67. One end of the connecting-rod (5S is pivotally secured to the bearing-pin 67, the other end being secured to the bearing-pin G9, mounted on the sector-gear 70, which intermeshes with the gear 7l, interme'shing with the rack 50, carrying the pawl 5l., which pawl operates the ratchet-gear 4S and imparts intermittent motion to the apron ll. The gear 7l, also intermeshing with the sector-gear 6l, will at the same time impart reciprocating motion to the stripper 5S.

The scale or balance and the discharging mechanism for the same consist of the following parts: The receptacle formed with the two circular end plates 7 4, one at each end, the division-plates 75, abutting against the end plates and strengthened by the arms 7 (3, the whole being attached to and supported on the shaft 77, which extends through the two side frames lO l0, and is connected at one side to IZO forms of friction-clutches.

the balanced lever 78 by the link 7 9, which is pvoted to the lever 78 at one end and supports the end of the shaft 77 in a suitable bearing at the otherend. The lever 78 is pivoted on the fixed pin 80. The two rods 81 and 82 extend from the lever 78 to the lever 83, thereby causing both the levers lto move together. The lever 83 is pivoted on the fixed pin 84 and carries the weight 85, a similar weight being carried by the lever 78. The

free end of the lever 83- is connected to the lever 86 bythe strap 87. This lever 86 is pivoted to the bracket 88, and carries a weight 89 and latch-releasing device consisting of the sliding rod 90, which is held in normal position by the spring 90, and carries the outwardly-extending adjustable pin 93 and the upwardly -eXtending finger 91, which finger 91 is acted on bythe cam 92, attached to one end of the shaft 60, to force the pin 93 against the beveled upright fingers of the latch 94, thus releasing the upper end of the rod 95 and allowing the same to drop, and,through the bell-crank 96, release the friction-clutch 97 and stop the entire operation of the feed. The friction-clutch 97 may be of any of the ordinary and well-known The latch 94- is supported on the bracket 104, and is held closed by the spring 105, one end of which is held by the pin secured to the bracket and the other end by the pin which passes through a slot in the bracket, and is fastened to the latch, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings. The vertical support-bar 98 is pivoted to the balanced lever 83 at 99 and supports the end of the shaft 77, provided with the gear 100, and carries the intermediate gear 101 and the gear 102 on suitable bearings, and is held against sidewise movement by the link 103. The gear 102 is provided with a number of pins 106.

One side of the receptacle (in position in Fig.I 3) is formed by the division-plates 75, and the other side by the swinging plate 107, which is hinged to the under side ofthe catch-shelf 65, the bottom being always formed by one of the division-plates 75 and the ends by the circular ends of the rotary scale. The corrugated presser-roller 111 is supported over the endless delivery-apron 108, which passes over the rollers 109 110. The presser-board 112 is pivoted at the top, one of the pivots extending through the side `frame 10, and has the L-shaped lever 113 secured to it. One arm of the lever 113 carries the weight 114. To the lower end of the other arm is attached the link 115, carrying a friction-roller at its free end. The cam 116 is mounted on the shaft 117, and operates against the friction-roller so as to swing the presser-board outward, the weight114 returning the presser-board to the normal position as soon as the curved face ofthe cam has passed. The gear 118 is secured to the shaft 117 onthe same side as the cam 110 and intermeshes with the gear 119, secured to the by coming in contact with the lower surface of the cam-finger 123, which is secured to the bar 95. The wiper-bar 124 is secured to the shaft 117 outside of the gear 120, and carries at its ends the adjustable fingers 125 125, the fingers 125 being adjustably secured to the wiper-bar 124 by the screws 126 126, which pass through the slots 127 127, formed near the ends of the wiper-bar.

The delivery-apron 108, the presser-roll 111, the cam 116, the gear 120, and the wiper-bar 124 are operated from the gear 128, which is driven by the gear 129, which gear is attached to one of the revolving shafts of the cardingengine at its receiving end. The gear 128 intermeshes with the gear 130, secured to the shaft of the roller 110, and operates the delivery-apron 108. The gear 128 also intermeshes with the gear 120, causing the shaft 117 to revolve, and with it the wiperbar 124, the cam 116, and the gear 118,Whicl1 gear 118 intermeshes with the gear 119, mounted on the shaft of the presser-roll 111, thereby causing the roll to revolve and compress the stock as the same is carried to the cardingengine by the delivery-apron 108. The back 18 is secured to the shaft 131, which extends through the side frames 10 10 and is provided with the sector-gears 132 132 at each end, into which the sector-gears 133 133, formed on the ends of the weight-rods 134, intermesh. lhe weights 135 135 are moved outwardly until the weight of the back will be slightly overcome, when the back will be caused to keepa constant pressure on the stock and force the same against the lifting-apron 11. In some instances it may be desirable to automatically adjust the cam 52 as the back 18 moves inward, so as to cause the lifting-apron 11 to move a longer distance and consequently lift a larger quantity of stock. In such a case all that is required is to connect the handle 55, forming part of the cam device, by the rod 136 to the weight-rod`134, by means of the adjustable collar 137, (the rod 136 and collar 137 are shown in broken lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings,) when, as the weightrod descends, the cam-surface will be carried backward, allowing the pawl 51 to take up a largernumber of the teeth of the ratchet-gear 48, and consequently lift `the apron 11 a greater distance. The bevel-faced notch 138 is cut in the side of the vertical support-bar 98, and the spring-pressed catch 139, having a beveled face, is secured to the side frame 10, so that as the vertical support-bar 98 starts ICO to descend the catch will enter the notch and assist in forcing the vertical support-bar downward and also hold the same against any rebound, the catch 139 acting as a springpressed bolt having a beveled or pointed end, which enters the V-shaped notch 138 on the edge of the bar 9S. As this latching` device is only a refinement which may be dispensed with, no detailed drawing of the same has been made.

From the foregoing the following description of the operation of the mechanism will be readily understood. As the wool or other stock is lifted by the apron 11 from the receptacle formed by the sides 10 10 and back 18, which latter keeps a constant pressure on the stock, forcing the same against the apron and approaches the top, the vibrating evener 21 sweeps backward over it and combs and evens the wool or other stock off, so that it may be properly fed to the delivery side of the apron. The wool is then stripped from the apron by the comb and brush of the vibrating stripper 58, it-being swept across the catch-shelf G5 and carried off the saine by the motion of the stripper. After leaving the shelf 65 the wool falls into the receptacle of the scales formed by two of the partition-plates 75, the hinged plate 107, and the circularends. Upon a predetermined quantity or weight of stock hav` ing been swept into the scale-receptacle by the stripper 5S, the weights 35, supported on the balanced levers 7 S and 83, will be overbalanced and the scale will descend, and with it the vertical support-bar 08, causing the weighted end of the balanced lever S0 to be lifted up until the finger 01 is brought into the path of the vibrating cam 02, causing the bar 00 to be .moved and the pin 93 to be brought into contact with the beveled finger of the latch 04, thus releasing the clutch-rod 95 and allowing the same to fall and disengage the clutch from the power-pulley 140 and stopping the machine. At the same time that the machine hasv been stopped and the scale has reached its lowest point the wiper-bar 124 has assumed the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, and will soon be brought into contact with one of the pins 100, revolving the gear 102, the intermediate gear 101, and the gear 100, and with it the shaft 77, turning the scale-receptacle down and allowing the contents to drop on the delivery-apron 108. The pin 121 on the gear 120, following closely on the movement of the wiper-bar 124, will be brought into contact with the lower end of the vertical support-bar 0S, and will lift the same and the scale into their normal positions. The pin 122, following directly after the pin 121, will come in contact with the cam-finger 123, thereby lifting the rod 05 and forcing the clutch 07 into contact with the power-pulley 140 and starting the machine. The foregoing operations will be repeated, and as the quantity of stock held between the apron and the back decreases more stock may be supplied by pulling the back outward and placingthe stock between the two parts 10 and 1S of the back.

An important feature of this invention consists in a casing 145, which completely surrounds and protects all of the working parts of the scale mechanism. The casing 145 is secured to' one of the side frames and has an opening for the link to pass through, and on the other side frame of the feed is secured the casing 145, which is open at the bottom and has an opening on one side for the link 103 to pass through, as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawings. The sides ot' the boxes or cases are shown in section projecting from the frames. The ends opposite the frame are closed by plates or covers secured against the projecting sides of the casings 145 and 146, so as to form closed boxes provided only with the openings heretofore mentioned. It will be seen that by thus inclosing all the parts of the scale mechanism they will be protected from flying dust or fiber; also, that the machine may be wiped or cleaned, without in any manner interfering with the balanced levers of the scale mechanism, while the feed is in full operation.

I prefer to construct the liftng-apron with the double slats 140 147, so that the pins 148 will be passed through the outer slat 146, and the inner slat 147 will act as abacking to prevent the pins being forced back through the webbing 140, forming the apron proper.

In some instances it is desirable to place the springs 141 onto the frame to assist the back in maintaining its pressure against the stock; but in all ordinary cases I find the weights 135 sufficient. It may also be found preferable to support the evener in the manner shown in Fig. 0 of the drawings, in which the evener 21 is hung by the arms 142 to a shaft supported in the brackets 143, one bracket being mounted on top of each of the side frames 10 10. The arms 144 are also secured to said shaft, and by reason of their connection with the rods 43 reciprocating mo tion will be imparted to the evener.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, as hereinbefore set forth, with a lifting-apron, of a two-part back hinged at the base thereof,capable of moving toward and away from the apron, and forming the back of the stock-receptacle, and a lever, substantially as described, for rocking said back toward the apron.

2. In an apparatus for feeding fibrous material, the combination, with the stock-receptacle and the lifting-apron, of atwo-part back, the inner portion being pivoted on the side brackets, forming part of the outer portion, the whole forming the back of the stock-rcceptacle, substantially as herein set forth.

3. In an apparatus for feeding fibrous material, the combination, with the main shaft, the lifting-apron, and its drive-shaft, of the gears 32 34, connecting-rod GS, sector-gear 70, gea-r 71, rack 50, pawl 5l, cam 52, and

IOO

IIO

ratchet-gear 48, whereby the apron may be run with an intermittent motion, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

4'. In an apparatus for feeding fibrous material, the combination, with the lifting-apron and its drive-shaft, of a ratchet-gear secured to the said drive-shaft, a rack carrying a pawl which engages with the teeth of the said ratchet-gear, mechanism for actuating the rack, and a cam, substantially as herein shown, for lifting the pawl above the line of the ratchet-gear teeth, as and for the purpose herein shown. A 5. In an apparatus for feeding fibrous material, the combination, with the stock-receptacle and the lifting-apron, of a scale consisting of a rotating receiver divided by partitions into receptacles and supported by two balanced levers, and suit-able gearing, whereby the scale-receptacle may be partially revolved, substantially as herein shown and described.

6. In an apparatus for feeding fibrous niaterial, the combination, with the stock-receptacle, of the two-part back, the reciprocating evener, the intermittent-motion lifting-apron, the vibrating stripper, the scale-receptacle supported on the pivoted balanced levers, the rod 90, spring 105, lever 8G, and strap 87, the shipper-bar, the latch for locking the upper end of the shipper-bar, the latch-releasing device consisting of the finger and pin and the cam, and mechanism, substantially as herein shown, for revolving` the scale-receptacle and for lifting the shipper-bar.

7. In an apparatus for feeding fibrous material, a back consisting'of the inner portion 16, the side brackets 17 17 the outer portion 18, the shaft 131, the gears 132, the gears 133, the Weight-rods 134, and the weight 135, substantially as herein shown.

8. In an apparatus for feeding fibrous material, the combination, as herein set forth, of the end pieces 74, the division-plates 75, the shaft 77, with the levers 78 and 83, the link 79, the support-bar 98, the gears 100, 101, and 102, and the pins 10G, the wiper-1ingers 125, and wiper-bar 124, constructed to partially rotate the scale-receptacle, as described.

9. The combination, in an apparatus for feeding fibrous material, of the driving-pulley 140, clutch 97, the bell-crank 96, clutchbar 95, latch 94, balanced lever 80, carrying the sliding rod 90, provided with -the finger 91 and'pin 93, the cam 92, whereby the latch 94 is caused to release the clutch-bar 95 upon the free end of the balanced lever 86 being lifted by the scale mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

10. The combination, in an apparatus for feeding fibrous material, of the stock-receptacle, the intermittent-motion lifting-apron 11, the evener 21, provided with the adjustable comb 23, `rods 43, disks 42, shaft 41,

bevel-gears 40 and 39, shaft 38, bevel-gears 37 and 3G, shaft 35, gears 34, 33, and 32, and shaft 31, whereby reciprocating motion is conveyed to the evener 21, substantially as herein shown and described.

11. The combination, in an apparatus for feeding fibrous material, of the two-part back supported on the shaft 131, the lifting-apron 11, the rollers 14 15, clearer 4G, evener 21, provided with the comb 23, mechanism, substantially as herein shown, for conveying reciprocating motion to the evener, the vibrating stripper 58, mounted on shaft 60 and provided with the comb 59 and brush G2, sectorgear 61, gear 71, sector-gear 70, connectingrod 68, and gears 34, 33, and 32, whereby the stripper is caused to vibrate across the path of the lifting-apron, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

12. The combination, in an apparatus for feeding fibrous material, with the stock-receptacle, the intermittent-motion liftingapron, the reciprocating evener, the vibratc -ing stripper, the scale-receptacle and balance mechanism, the delivery-apron, the presserboard and the presser-roll, of the gear 128, gear 130, for driving the delivery-apron, gear 120, the shaft 117, the gear 118, for driving the gear 119 and with it the presser-roll, the cam 116, link 115, and arm 113, for moving the presser-board 112 outward by means of the link 115 and arm 113, substantially as herein shown and described.

13. The combination, with the stock-receptacle, the lifting-apron, thereciprocating evener, the vibrating stripper, the scale-receptacle and balance mechanism provided with the support-bar 98, the clutch-bar 95, and cam-finger 123, of the gear 129, the gear 128, and gear 120, carrying the pins 121 and 122, for lifting the scale-receptacle to its normal position through the support-bar 98, and the clutch-bar through the cam-finger 123, substantially as herein described.

14. The combination, with the stock-receptacle, the lifting -apron, the reciprocating evener, the vibrating stripper, the scale-receptacle, and balance mechanism provided with the gears 100, 101, and 102, of the gear 128, gear 120, shaft 117, and the wiper-bar IOO IIO

IIS

124, whereby the scalereceptacle is revolved Y LUTHER A. PECKHAM.

IVitiiesses:

A. B. PITKIN, J. A. MILLER, Jr.

IZO 

